


Noir

by snowynight



Category: Disney Princesses
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Noir, Bechdel Test Pass, Detective Noir, Gen, Misses Clause Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-16
Updated: 2011-12-16
Packaged: 2017-10-27 09:56:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/294463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowynight/pseuds/snowynight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ariel and Belle team up on a trail to murder, while Jasmine and Megara have their agenda.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Noir

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Deense](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deense/gifts).



> Thanks for Voksen and the Yule chat!

The rain splashed over the street, and the pedestrians on the road by the side rushed under extended balcony and into shops from it. Ariel half wished she could open the roof of the car to feel the rain, but it was probably acidic. Thanks to the politicians' policies, LA had never seen a clear sky for decades. She parked the car, put on her rain coat and steed out of the car. Rather than cleaning the city, the rain only made the city more gray and the biodegradable road dissolved into mud slowly to stick on her shoes. At least the advertising display in mid air was temporary off due to the humidity sensor. 

Ariel walked into the building, passed through the security check and went to the top floor. There her client Ms Duma was already waiting.

"You're nearly late. Remember my time's expensive. Every second wasted'll be deducted from your bill."

"All right, Ms. Dumas. How can I help you then?" Ariel asked politely maybe too polite.

Ms. Duma seemed not to notice. With a gesture of her hand, a virtual display was projected between them. It showed a dead body from different angles. Ariel downloaded the accompanying information to her computer.

Ariel recognized the body as that of PI Larson. He was a cybersurgeon to the stars and did favours to her. But who'd kill him? Why would MsDumas care?

"I need you to find out who did it. Mr. Larson was an important citizen."

"Why no go to the police? They'll get you results faster."

"The matter's... complicated. The police are too brutish for the case. I already transferred the deposit to your bank account."

Ariel checked it through the computer bracelet to be certain. It was a huge sum and could help her pay off Loren Tsuba. He'd already sent a "friendly" message to her.

"All right," Ariel said.

Ms. Dumas transmitted the contract to Ariel's bracelet. "Now sign it."

Ariel had the contract compared with the one she had already had checked over and found no difference. She signed her electronic signature.

"Now get to work," Ms Dumas said.

Ariel only felt refreshed when she hit the road again. There she made a call. It was soon answered by a familiar voice, "Belle speaking."

"It's Ariel. Landed the new job. Interested in partnering me?"

"Sure. Come to my place," Belle said. Then she discontinued the connection. Ariel hung to it for awhile, and the did the same.

Those who had the luck to enter Belle's home would be surprised by the abundance of printed book on the book shelves. It seemed so much in contrast to her job as a hacker. So... antique. But very few people were allowed to enter her home, and those not allowed would face an expensive security system. Belle would say it with the best poker face, "Well, a girl does need a hobby." when she was asked by her guests.

Once Belle told Ariel that in fact she was fascinated by printed books as the representation that knowledge could transform an age and stored as record of the humanity. Also the fact that a printed book collector could cover up her day job. Ariel felt happy for the trust and felt a stronger connection to her.

Once Ariel told Belle about the briefing, Belle nodded and used her headjack to hack into the security system of the place of murder and the victim's home computer system. They discussed the information and Belle said, "Let's hit up Trisko. He'll be our first lead"

"I haven't seen him for long. I wondered how his feet were."

"He can take care of himself, but he'll appreciate it," Belle said.  
    
"All right. Let's contact him."

<hr>

Jasmine activated her mental shield and walked into a bar with fast music composed of memetic messages. There people of different shapes, different genders and different skin colours were together dancing to their high. Not far away the bartender handed over designer drug to the client. She winked at the bouncer and underwent an iris scan. Then she walked up the stairs and knocked at her boss's office. "Boss?"

"Come in," said her boss' voice. Jasmine opened it and entered the office.

The office was decorated in a Spartan way. The furniture were built in a time that they were designed to last forever. There was nothing pretty about them. The rug was still left with smoke stain. It was in contrast with art deco design of the bar below. Her boss, who insisted on being called Meg, crouched in the armchair. But the aura of Meg seemed to fill he office. When Jasmine greeted Jasmine, she looked up and broke out into a smile.

"How's the thing go?"

"On time as usual."

"I hear that there're some minor incidents?"

"All dealt with."

"Good. Here's the following task I'd like you to do."  
Meg showed several photoes on her computer screen.  
"I need you to investigate the murder of Larson. Dumas has her people on it too, so you may consider how to deal with them."

Jasmine nodded. She wouldn't reject Meg's order, and she knew that this case was a bit personal. Larson was among people Meg seemed to like. It was not a big circle.

"How do you want with the killer?"

"I give you free rein."

"I won't disappoint you."

"I know you won't. See you!."

Then Jasmine left the office.

When Belle and Ariel left Belle's building, got into Ariel's car and hit the road. Then Ariel suddenly said, "Do you think we're being followed?"

"You and your instinct," Belle teased, but she knew that Ariel's instinct was always right. Besides, it paid to be careful. Behind them they were followed by a seemingly plain car. Inside Jasmine proceeded carefully. She didn't want to lose the quarry.

Ariel gained the distance. The she sped the car and took a longer and and more crooked road. Jasmine sped up too, following the car. A series of car chase started, with Jasmine's car biting her quarry's tail.

Ariel and Belle managed to get rid of the follower. "The pursuer's good," Ariel said, with admiration in her tone.

"But you're better," Belle said naturally.

"Thanks for your trust," Ariel said. She parked a car near their destination, and then walked to Trisko's home.

"Good evening, Ariel." Trisko said when he opened the door.

"Good evening. Sorry for quick notice, but the case's urgent."

"Tell me about it then."

When Ariel and Belle told them the story. Trisko visually changed colour for a moment. Finally he said, "The Producers did it."

Then he refused to talk any more. Finally Ariel and Belle had to leave. 

"He was hiding something from us," Belle said.

"There must be some reasons." Ariel said.

"How do you know him?"

"He's a friend of my father. When I want to be a PI, my father nearly kick me ou of home. Only he supports me."

"Anyway we need to follow up the lead."

Ariel and Belle returned to their home respectively.

Jasmine might have lost her quarry in the middle of the car chase, but she managed to locate their final position using the technology Meg lent her. At least now she now knew that Trisko was involved. She knew that he was a member of the Producers. Was the gang involved?

Jasmine contacted her informant Syd. They arranged for a meeing.  
When Jasmine was driving to the meeting place, she saw some youth on the street looking at her with blank eyes. Jasmine turned aside. Once uon a time she was one of them, a runaway to look for a free life. At her worst Meg saved and trained her. Jasmine wouldn't survive without her.  
When she arrived at the destination, she saw that her informant was already there. They shook hands, with information exchanging. Jasmine transferred the credit and already thought of next move.  
The Producers was one of the largest gang  in the city. It wouldn't be easy to infiltrate the gang headquarter. However, everything had a weakness. To get the information they wanted, Ariel had to infiltrate the building so Belle hacked into the security system to get the patrol time table and the plan of the building. Ariel had her tools prepared. Then she cracked into the building, parachuting from a small plane at night. Then she overcame the guards at the roof top and raled along the side of the building in the shadow, then she broke in the building.

To avoid notice, she kept to the shadows while the cameras were panned away, with Belle already hacking into and control networked cameras.

When she reached the destination, she checked over the office of the gang boss. Then she got what she found.

When she was leaving, she saw a shadow sneaking out of her sight. She was concerned but she didn't want to stay any longer. Therefore she left as planned.

The shadow Ariel saw was Jasmine. She discovered that someone got into it first, but althogh she frowned at the discovert, she conducted her search and found what she wanted.  
<hr>  
"I can't believe it," Ariel said with a pale face.  
Trisko was right. The Producers killed the man. But he omitted something. he document showed that he was directly involved, and further investigation confirmed it. Ariel couldn't accept. Trisko was like an uncle to her. Perhaps it was why she couldn't quite accept that he was the hit man of the Producers.  
"What do you want to do with the information?" Belle asked, being brunt.  
Ariel didn't seak for an hour. She felt Belle holding her hands in hers. She wanted to lean on Belle for strength, but she resisted.  
Finally, Ariel made a decision.  
<hr>  
Jasmine had her gun on the shooting position. Now that she got the leak from Dumas' office, she could carry out her order.  
The target appeared in the shooting range. Jasmine aimed and shot. he victim gell and blood flew from his body.  
Jasmine left the place to avoid notification. Later she was confirmed that the target was dead.  
She returned to Meg and reported on the murder.  
"Good job," Meg said. Jasmine could feel the ride from her voice. "Take a well deserved holiday, Jas."  
"Thank you."  
When Jasmine left, Meg smiled at herself. Soon with the memes she deliberately leak to the Producers and Dumas, a gang war was inevitable. Then she could take the chance to expand her territory.  
Jasmine was proved to be loyal and very competent. One day she could be her successor.  
She couldn't wait.  



End file.
